The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-01-21
Furnishes Interesting Reading Mat
ter for the General Public.
Some Articles Purchased at the
House and Senate Stationery
Rooms.
Another Lot of Pensions for Maine
Claimants.
Several Maine Collectors OF Customs
Confirmed by the Senate.
The Truth of the Charge Against
General Leavltt for Smuggling.

Especial to the PREss.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.
The annual report Of the clerk Of the
House of Representatives is just published,
and contains some reading quite as interest
ing as did the report Of the Secretary Of the
Senate, which excited so much comment
some time ago. The report contains 172
pages, and comprises an itemized account Of
every cent expended by the Clerk for the
| year ending June 30th, 1886.
About every article that can be imagined
from a twenty cent memorandum book to
$40 French clock. Here are few items
OAe progressive euchre, S1.50; four progress
siye euchre cards, $500; three cigar cases,
| 5000; innumerable toilet, card and shaving
cases, pocket-books, manicures, letter cases,
reticules, fans, knives, opera glasses, etc;
II dozen corkscrews, at $500, $3.50; 1-12
dozen do. at 5000, S5.25; backgammon
board, $2.03; set Of checkers, soc; Easter
cards SLID; and so ON ad libitum. Funeral
expenses were as follows: For Representa-
tue Rankin of Wisconsin, Sl475; Represent
ative Hahn of Louisiana, S1637; Vice Presi-
dent Hendricks, s1434. Some of the items
which make up these totals are as follows
| 1<uuCn lululSLCQ COuSICoolOndi tOluuiittCC III
attendance on funeral of Hon. NJ. Hahn,
| S3725; kilograms, S5.25; fruit, bought in
Washington, S2.S5, lunches furnished COM
mittee attending funeral Of Hon. Jos. RAN
kin, S3425; porter, $40; II dozen white silk
| gloves, $500.
In the line of reading matter furnished are
found among others the following books
Huckleberry' Finn, 0stler Joe, Blaine's
Twenty Years in Congress, Triumphant De-
mocracy, The Labor Question, American Di-
plomacy, Ben Hur, Three Vassar Girls, Ba-
bies Kingdom, Little Doings for Some Little
Folks, Webster's Dictionary. Ewes Daugh-
ters, and many others. The total amount
expended for. all purposes. is S476, ,6s360. The
Representatives do not generally take their
newspapers through the clerks Office as
many of the Senators do. Representative
O'Hara, the colored member from North
Carolina, is the only one taking many papers
and he took the greater part of the leading
papers Of the country.
1t is not to be supposed that these items
for story books, cigar cases, cork screws,
playing cards, ETC., which appear in this re-
port are in any way illegal, or a steal from
the government. Every Senator and every
Representative is allowed by law S125 for
stationery and supplies, and it is as much
part of his salary as the $4,000 is. They can
take it in money or in supplies, as they pre-
fer.
At the stationery rooms of the House and
Senate everything is kept which can be found
in tirst-class stationery store, and sold at
prices which cannot be equalled anywhere
No<,,- 1Ixro
and Representatives avail themselves of this
opportunity to get things cheap, and as an
itemized account of everything purchased
must be kept, they appear in the annual re-
ports, and are often made the text for TRADES
upon the extravaganza Of Congress, whereas
the expenditures are strictly just and legal.
As to the propriety of the funeral lunches,
fruit, etc. that may be another question.
Senate Proceedings.
The Nicaraguan Canal matter, which was
before the Senate in secret session yesterday,
was brought up on motion to reconsider the
vote upon the resolution advising the Presi-
dent to enter into negotiations for con-
cession. The subject was left pending in
order that some further facts might be pre-
sented in the discussion, and the proposition
to extend the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty
was taken up. The latter subject was acted
upon favorably. An additional article to the
treaty was also ratified, the effect Of which Is
TO give the United States the use of Pearl
River harb0r as naval cOaling station.
A great many nominations were confirmed,
among them being that Of Postmaster Riley
of Cincinnati, which was made the subject
of extended investigation by the post Office
committee last session.
Estimates for Collecting Revenue
from Customs.
The Secretary of the Treasury today trans
mitted to Congress estimates of appropria-
tions for defraying the expenses of collecting
revenue from the customs for the next fiscal
year. The estimates show in detail the num-
Der OF employees in every district and their
salaries. The total number Of employees re-
quired is stated at 4,0S5, with salaries aggre-
eating S5,050,S73. In addition the estimates
include an item of S1,300,000 for temporary
employees, rents, labor and other expenses;
$4,000 for salaries and travelling expenses of
special agents. $4,000 for the prevention
and the detection Of fraud upon the customs
revenue, and $4,000 for additional inspectors
of customs appointed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, making the estimated cost of col
lecting customs revenues S6,540,S73.
General LeavItt's Confirmation.
In connection with the confirmation of
Samuel ID. Leavitt to be Collector of Gus
toms at Passamaquoddy, Me-, the Senate
make public two documents. The first is a
letter to Senator Mcmillan, marked conf
Dental, dated, Washington, Dec. IA, 1886.
The writer calls attention to the cOnfirma-
tion, and states that having had occasion to
examine papers filed by applicants for Office
some months ago, he found among them a
certified copy OF record Of the United
States District Court, at Portland, Maine,
showing that Leavitt had been convicted
somewhere between the years of 1860 and
1869 OF the crime of smuggling, and had been
sentenced to pay fine therefor; The writer
thinks 1t hardly possible that the President
could have knowingly appointed a convicted
smuggler to collect revenues at place which
affords such an opportunity for smuggling,
and suggests as possibility that the paper
may have been secretly abstracted from files
before the other documents were taken to
the President. He adds In case of the can
didate's confirmation, | shall feel at liberty
10 make public all the facts together with
copy of this letter for / desire to know
whether the Senate does scrutinize the Pres
ident's appointments when they have good
reasons therefor which is not founded upon
partisan politics. As | am in the govern
ment employ you will see the necessity for
my withholding my name for the present
The letter was signed by the Chief Of Diyis-
| ion.
| The other is an affidavit by Mr.. Leavitt set
| ting forth that in 1866, Mr. Horton left in
| his office package for man (whOse name
| Leayitt does not remember) to call and ex-
| anime. The package which was said to con-
taken away by Horton. This was made the
| pretended basis Of the suit against Leavitt
| which was, however, never brought to trial,
Leayitt paying costs and Marshal's fees by
| advice of his counsel, Bion Bradbury
| He was never even accused of any violation
| of the law. The endorsement by Mr.. Brad
| bury is to the effect that the statements in
the affidavit are in accordance with the
facts and that the costs were paid to save
expenses of litigation.
Maine Collectors Confirmed.
Collectors Of customs in Maine: Z. Cush-
ing, at Belfast J. Cousens, Kennebunk: S.
ID. Leavitt, Passamaquoddy; j. L. Moore,
Marlborough.
Maine Postmaster Appointed.
Simon Castings was today appointed post
master at Sidney, Kennebec county, vice
VIM. p. Marble, resigned.
Senator Hiscock Congratulated.
The following telegram was TODAY sent 10